According to Afar Magazine (voted one of the top travel magazines in the U.S.) “…Today’s travelers want to get beyond the superficial, the mass-produced, the mass-consumed, and the mass-experienced. They look for the authentic in people, places, and products. They long for meaningful connections with the places they go and the people they meet.”

Our “La Dolce Vita ~ Yoga Harvest Italia Tour” this Fall to the Valdarno region of Tuscany is designed for active travelers seeking an authentic way to experience local culture, and go beyond every-day sightseeing, a tour where they can immerse themselves in local activities and have the chance to meet the local people.

The tour is highlighted by daily energizing and restorative yoga classes lead each day by San Francisco Bay Area yoga instructor Noell Clark and picking olives by hand at Casa Falcioni, a 10-acre property in the charming and central Tuscan town of Cavriglia that boasts an olive grove with nearly 600 olive trees. There will also be a winery tour, a cooking class, trips to Florence and other towns, outdoor markets, and more.

“Yoga is a wonderful way to stay in the present moment and connect with the here and now,” says Noell Clark. “Each day of the yoga, meditation and retreat experience is centered around a specific theme such as renewal, harvest, and community. These daily themes provide attendee’s a lens through which to view each day, deepening and enriching their experience in the beautiful Tuscan countryside.”

In the evenings Noell will also offer guests a meditation and/or group yoga experience. [Note: no prior yoga experience is necessary and is also an optional tour activity...]

We're excited to attend the Little Italy San Jose Arch Ceremony and street festa tonight. After several years of fundraising, the pepole behind this effort will celebrate the unveiling of the 31-foot arch offically designating this area of the city. The Arch is a big moment for the Little Italy Foundation for the Italian American community of Santa Clara and those of us who love Italian culture. Event details are available here:

Spirit of Italy Tours has been involved with the Little Italy San Jose folks since the begining and has sponsored events over the past few years to help raise awareness and funds to bring the Little Italy San Jose neighborhood to fruition. It’s great to see and enjoy the progress that they’re making. Our “La Dolce Vita ~ Yoga Harvest Italia” tour info event is co-hosted by Bel Bacio Café in the heart of Little Italy San Jose on Sunday, May 3rd from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. and will take place in the lovely piazza behind the cafe. Hope you can join us!!

If you’re in the San Jose/San Francisco Bay area, please join us on Sunday, May 3rd, from 1:00 - 3:00 pm, for an afternoon event designed to acquaint people with our “La Dolce Vita ~ Yoga Harvest Italia” tour to Tuscany, Italy. We'll provide a tour overview and answer questions.

The event will take place in the beautiful “piazza” behind Bel Bacio Café in downtown San Jose -- in the Little Italy San Jose area of town. (Julian & Almaden) We'll be serving cafe, dolce (sweets) as well as treat guests to a Tuscany olive oil tasting from the same olive groves where tour guests will have the chance to pick olives, and a short guided meditation.

See flyer below with event details.

Additional tour details and registration info is available at the Spirit of Italy Tours website, www.spiritofitalytours.com.

I was recently invited by the Italian Govt. Tourist Board to attend a workshop to meet representatives from the region of Tuscany (Italy). In addition to getting information on hotels and travel related facilities in this beautiful region, the Italian Consulate General to San Francisco was joined by other Italian dignitaries to unveil a 10-foot (approx.) replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa made out of alabaster.

The tower was made by 14 artisans over the course of 4 years from the town of Volterra where alabaster is still mined. It is comprised of more than 25,000 pieces and was made mostly by hand.

It will be on display in SF at the Westfield mall until February 10, 2015, before traveling to New York. It’s an outstanding piece of art!

​I started Spirit of Italy Tours to offer small groups of travelers intimate journeys to enjoy the Italian countryside. It was a dream come true when my debut “Harvest Italia” tour came together in 2012. My six guests and I had the most incredible experiences in the Valdarno region of Tuscany picking olives, sightseeing and exploring off the beaten track areas, eating phenomenal food and meeting great people. As a lover of yoga, my other dream has been to put together a yoga and harvest tour. Now, in 2015, I am so excited to offer “La Dolce Vita: Yoga Harvest Retreat” with Noell Clark (no relation) one of the most beautiful yoga teachers in the San Francisco Bay Area. Tour dates are October 27 – November 4th, 2015.

Please explore the site for tour details. Registratiion is limited to 10 tour participants so register now on the Registration page or contact Vicky Gray-Clark at 408-318-1980 or vicky@spiritofitalytours.com. We'd love to have you join us!